Kansas City Royals - TeamReport

May 24, 2013|Reuters

MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - INSIDE PITCH

Kelvin Herrera was a major part of the Royals' bullpen last season.

This season, he pitched his way to the minor leagues.

Herrera, who has a fastball that sits in the upper 90s and has touched 100 mph, went 4-3 with three saves and a 2.35 ERA last season as a rookie. He allowed only four home runs in 84 1/3 innings and 76 relief appearances.

On Thursday, the Royals shipped the 23-year-old to Triple-A Omaha after he went 2-4 with a 4.87 ERA and allowed eight home runs in 20 1/3 innings.

"With Kelvin Herrera, it had gotten to the point, I think, where he lost some confidence in his fastball," manager Ned Yost said. "What we're looking to do with him is get him back down. He needs to incorporate his secondary pitches -- which are both plus pitches, his curveball and his changeup -- into his repertoire, adjust his mechanics a little bit.

"He got to the point by not having confidence in his fastball to where he was trying to overthrow it, so he needs to just smooth his mechanics a little bit and really just go down and have some success. He's very young, too, and a big part of our 'pen, so we need to get him straightened out. Get a little bit of his swagger back and bring him back."

The Royals recalled right-hander Louis Coleman from Omaha to replace Herrera in the bullpen.

Coleman was 2-1 with three saves and a 1.04 ERA in the Pacific Coast League. He had not allowed a run in his past seven outings with the Storm Chasers, giving up seven hits and striking out 16 in 14 1/3 innings.

--C Salvador Perez, who had missed the previous two games with a deep right hip bruise, returned to the Kansas City lineup. He went 3-for-4 with an RBI, giving him eight multi-hit games in May. Perez hurt the hip while colliding with a pole at the Astros' dugout while chasing a foul ball Monday.

--OF Jarrod Dyson likely will be out another three weeks with a high right sprain, manager Ned Yost said Thursday. Dyson went on the disabled list retroactive to May 16 after injuring his ankle at Anaheim while leaping for a home run at the wall.

--RHP Kelvin Herrera was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. Herrera had yielded eight home runs in 20 1/3 innings after giving up only four in 84 1/3 innings as a rookie in 2012. This season, he was 2-4 with a 4.87 ERA.

--RHP Louis Coleman, who made 93 relief appearances the past two years with the Royals, was recalled Thursday from Triple-A Omaha. Coleman had not allowed a run in his past seven outings covering 14 1/3 innings with the Storm Chasers while striking out 16 and allowing seven hits. Overall for Omaha, he was 2-1 with three saves and a 1.04 ERA. He worked a scoreless ninth, walking one, Thursday night against the Angels.

--RHP Luis Mendoza, who starts Friday against the Angels, has not walked a batter in his past 13 innings. His lone victory this season was over the Angels on May 13 at Anaheim Stadium, when he permitted three runs and six hits over six innings. In his career, Mendoza is 1-1 with an 8.04 ERA in six games (three starts) against the Angels.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm very happy with my performance. Just a couple of missed pitches, and that's it." -- RHP Ervin Santana, after he gave up five runs (on four home runs) in 7 2/3 innings during the Royals' 5-4 loss to the Angels.

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MLB Team Report - Kansas City Royals - ROSTER REPORT

MEDICAL WATCH:

--C Salvador Perez (bruised right hip) left the May 20 game. He sat out May 21, but he was back in the lineup May 22.

--CF Jarrod Dyson (sprained right ankle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 16. He's likely out until mid-June.

--LHP Danny Duffy (Tommy John surgery in June 2012) went on the 15-day disabled list March 31. He threw 15 pitches in an extended spring training game in Arizona in late April. He is on schedule to pitch five innings by June 13, the one-year anniversary of his surgery.

--RHP Felipe Paulino (Tommy John surgery in July 2012) went on the 60-day list Feb. 12. He threw 20 batting practice pitches the week of April 22. Paulino is out of options, so he can only pitch with a minor league affiliate for 30 days if he goes on a rehab assignment.